190 



CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



prevalent in the State than now. Care must, therefore, be taken not 

 to set trees which are to be irrigated too low. It is better to raise 

 them up a little and draw the earth around them to prevent ap- 

 proach of the water, but this must not be overdone. 



If possible, the ditch should be run on the shady side of the tree, 

 because reflected sunshine from the water surface^ may burn the 

 bark. 



In examining soil to ascertain dryness, one must dig or bore 

 deeply, for often an upper layer will be fairly moist, if well culti- 

 vated, while lower layers, where the feeding rootlets are, will be 

 arid. Therefore, when trees or vines are suffering, go far down in 

 examining the soil. 



In irrigating, thorough, deep soaking is necessary, and examina- 

 tion must be made to see if an artificial hardpan which prevents 

 the descent of the water has been formed. 



Be careful not to continue irrigation too late in the season. It 

 will prevent the proper dormancy of deciduous trees, and if more 

 fall irrigation is given citrus trees than they need for perfecting the 

 fruit, the trees will continue growing tender shoots until they are 

 injured by severe frosts. On the other hand, it is often desirable to 

 give deciduous trees a draft of water after the fruit has been gath- 

 ered, if the soil is so dry that the tree is likely to drop its leaves 

 too soon, and wake from its dormancy with the first rains. Many 

 times the fall blooming of deciduous trees, which is very undesir- 

 able, may be prevented by keeping them growing later in the 

 summer by moderate irrigation. 



If trees or vines, in regions usually irrigated, are to be grown 

 without irrigation, it is important that the grower be more than 

 usually thorough and constant with his summer cultivation. In 

 trying the non-irrigation experiment, one should, of course, begin 

 with young trees which have not been irrigated, and not usually 

 expect success by withdrawing the water from trees which have 

 been accustomed to it, and have developed a root system accord- 

 ingly. 



While waiting for an "irrigating system," young trees can be 

 kept going with a water wagon. With a galvanized tank on a wagon 

 three men went over a 60-acre orchard three times, taking four days 

 for each irrigation. One man went ahead to scoop out around each 

 tree, and after the water was put on he covered it up, to keep the 

 soil loose and prevent loss by evaporation. He could keep ahead 

 because of the loss of time of the team going after water and return- 

 ing. From the tank ran two large hose, the water being siphoned 

 off at the basin near each tree till about four or five gallons of water 

 were put on. Then the hose was bent back so the water could not 

 flow out, and they advanced to the next tree. 



SUB-IRRIGATION IN CALIFORNIA 



The word "sub-irrigated" is freely used in California to describe 

 land which is moistened below by underflow or seepage from 

 streams or springs, or from open irrigation ditches, traversing 



